Miter-box



2 Sheets-Sheet l.

(No Model.)

J. J. SPILKER.

MITER BOX.

Patented Jan. 24, 1893.

Mig, mmv

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN J. SPILKER, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

MlTER-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 490,514, dated January24, 1893.

Application filed February 23, 1892. Serial No. 422,470. (No model.) l

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN J. SPILKER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton 'and State of Ohio,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Miter-Boxes; and Ido hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such will enable others skilled in the artto which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in miter-boxes, and contemplatesthe provision in a device of the class named, of means for increasingthe material receiving space, between the saw guides, for holdingmaterial securely in position when operated upon, for accurately spacingor measuring the material into equal parts, for gaging the direction ofthe saw cut at a predetermined angle, and for regulating and determiningthe depth of cut of the saw when the device is in operation.

To the accomplishment of the ends above set forth, the inventionconsists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the severalparts comprised therein for service substantially as hereinafter setforth and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and specificallypointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, wherein like numerals andletters of reference pointoutsimilarparts on each figure g-Figure 1.represents a top plan view of a device embodying my invention. Fig. 2.is bottom plan View thereof. Fig. 3. is a rear elevation of myinvention. Fig. 4. is afront elevation thereof. Fig. 5. represents anend elevation of my invention. Fig. 6. is a partial top plan view of myinvention, showing the adaptation thereto 0f means for'increasing thewidth of the box, to receive material of more than ordinary width. Fig.7. is a partial top plan View, showing means for measuring the materialinto predetermined lengths when the device is being operated. Figs.8,-9,-and, 10,- illustrate detached detail views of the means employedto determine the depth of cutof the saw. Fig. 10a, is a transversesection of Fig. lO, on line,z, z. Fig. 11. is a detached detail View, intop plan, of the means whereby the width of the box is increased toreceive material of more than ordinary width.

Fig.12, isa

longitudinal section of the parts shown in Fig. 1l, taken on the line,00,90, of said figure. Figs. 13,-and, 14,-represent respectively'a frontView, and an end elevation of the clamp,which secures the measure orscale to its retaining rod. Figs. 15, and 16, represent respectively atop plan view and an end elevation of the adjustable stop which movesupon said scale, retaining rod.

In carrying out myinvention, I employ a base, 1, of suitable material,preferably wood, and provide the same, at each end with a leg standard,the body, 2, of which extends from front to rear ot' the base, andterminates at each end in short depending legs, 3, having perforatedfeet, 4, by which the device may be secured to a bench or other support.To the base, 1, I secure by screws or bolts, 5, a back, 6, forming saidback in two parts, herein called shields 7,-and 8,-which are so securedto the base, 1, as toleave an opening, 9, through which the saw passes,when the device is in operation.

To the rear edge of the base, 1, intermediately of the back sections lsecure a casting, 10. This cast-ing I provide with a flange, 1l, whichextends inwardly and is secured to the lower surface of the base, 1, byscrews, 12, and with an enlargement, 13, which is perforated vertically,to receive a hollow standard, 14, which extends thence to a point abovethe upper edge of the back, 6. The standard, 14, is free to turn in theenlargement, 13, and is provided at its opposite sides with slots, l5,which extend from the top of said standard to a point immediately abovethe casting, 13. As shown in the drawings, the standard,

14, is centrally disposed in the opening, 9, be-y tween the sections, 7,and 8, of the back, 6, for a purpose presently explained.

At the forward edge of the base, 1,'I arrange a track iron, 16, andprovide said iron with an inwardly projecting iiange, 17, havingapertures, to receive screws, 18, by which it is secured to the lowersurface of the base, 1. I provide this track iron, 16, at its outer edgewith upwardly and downwardly extending flanges, 19,-and-20, therebycomposing a T-bar to receive a sliding block, 21, the flanges, 22, ofwhich take over said Iianges, 19, and 20, see Figs. 5, and 12. I providethe block, 2l, with an outwardly projecting en- IOO Vslots 15 in saidstandards.

largement, 23, having a vertical aperture to receive astandard, 24,similarin construction to the standard, 14. The block, 21, is free tomove from end to end of the track, 16, and is provided upon its uppersurface with a leaf spring, 25, from which projects a spur, 26, thatpasses through an aperture formed in the block,21, and engages withnotches, 27, formed in the ange, 19, of the track iron, 16. This Spring,25, and spur, 26, determines the proper position of the block, 21, uponthe track iron, 16 set screws, 2S, which pass through said block, 21,hold it against displacement from such position.

As has been hereinbefore stated, the standards, 14, and 24, are similarin construction, each having slotted sides and each free to turn in itsbearings. Vithin each of said standards I place a hollow tube, 29, eachof which is free to move vertically in its standard, 14, or 24,but isheld from turning therein by a spline, 30, which extends from each ofsaid tubes, 29, into grooves, 3l, formed in the inner surface andextending from end to end of the standards, 14, and 24, see Fig. 10,which is a sectional view looking in an upward direction. This spline isshown in said tigure at right angles to slots, l5, but may be arrangedon tubes, 29, protruding directly under slots, 32, whereby, as saidtubes are moved up or down, the spline will enter one of the slots, 15,and be therein guided in the same manner as it' passing along interiorgrooves as previously set forth.

I provide each of the tubes, 29, upon their opposite sides with slots,32, which are placed, when said tubes, 29, are in position in thestandards, 14 and 24, in alignment with the The slots, 32, of the tubes,29, extend nearly the entire length of said tubes, and are, at theirupper ends, enlarged laterally, as shown at 33, to receive the thickenedback, of an ordinary back saw.

To control, and determine the depth of the saw out, in the materialunder operation, I employ the following described means, viz;-- Each ofthe tubes, 29, at a point intermediate of the slots, 32, and at oneside, are provided with a slot, 34, through which extends an outwardlypassing bolt or screw, 35, which also passes through a small lever, 36,having a cam shaped lower end, 37 and enters a thumb nut, 3S, a spiralspring, 39, surrounds the shank of the screw, 35, between the thumb nut,3S, and the lever, 36, whereby a greater or a less degree of springpressure may be exerted upon said lever, 36, by the action of said thumbnut, 38.

By reference to Figs. 8,-and, 9,-of the drawings, the operation of thelever36, will be readily understood, the former of said tigures showingsaid lever when turned down, while the latter figure shows said lever atits highest point of elevation, and the tube, 29, as raised thereby.

It will be understood that the screw, 35, may be moved to any point ofthe slot, 34,

thus raising or lowering the tube to impart any desired depth of cut tothe saw, and also that the lever, 36, when used will, to a limitedextent, still further decrease the depth of cut of the saw. Iam thusenabled to maintain the toothed cutting edge of the saw at anypredetermined distance from the base, 1, when said saw is at its lowestpoint of movement, a fact which will be duly appreciated by thoseskilled in the art to which my device appertains.

I provide the device with means for securely holding material againstdisplacement while being operated upon, both as regards that, wherein itis desirable that the miter cut extend transversely of the thickness ofthe material, as is the case when niitering base boards, draw sides,dre., and that, wherein it is desirable that the miter cut extendtransversely of the width of the material, as is the case when miteringarchitraves, picture frames, the.

To meet the requirements of the former of the cases cited, to wit, thathaving miter cut transversely of thickness, I provide the opposite ends0f the base, 1, with L-shaped clamping dogs, 40,-4l,-the horizontalparts, 42, of which are provided with slots, 43, to receive screws, 44,which pass through said slots, 43, into the ends of the base, '1, andserve to hold said dogs in fixed position.

As will be understood the vertical parts, 45, of the dogs, 40,--41,-maybe moved toward and from the back, 6, to acccmmodate material ofdifferent thickness, and said dogs may be turned down, as shown, bydotted lines, 46, Fig. 5, when not in use.

The clamping dogs, 40,-41,in addition to functions above set forth alsoserve to change the angle at which the material is cut by the saw; therear edge of the material in such case bearing against one or the otherof said dogs, as shown by dotted lines, a, Fig. 1, the cut, b, of thesaw being at a greater or less angle with the back of material as willbe readily understood. To meet the requirements of the latter case,71H6, that having miter transversely of width of material, I provide thebase, 1, near the ends thereof, with transversely extending grooves, 47,to receive screw threaded rods, 4S, which are journaled at one end inthe back, 6, and extend thence in the grooves, 47, the rods, 43, areoperated by small hand wheels, 49, which are secured to the endsthereof, outside of said back, 6. I provide each of the rods, 48, withclamping blocks, 50, having extending side wings, or shoulders, 51,which bear upon the upper surface of the base, 1, and at their centerwith downwardly extending lugs, 52, perforated and screw threaded toreceive the rods, 48. By turning the hand wheels the blocks 50, will bemoved toward and from the back, 6, as will be readily understood.

I provide the device with means for increasing the distance between thesaw guiding standards, 14, and 24, the same consisting in IOO lfromdisplacement.

a casting, 53, one end ofrwhich is provided Awith laterally projectingportions, 54, and a grooved face, 55, which fits and slides upon thetrack iron, 19, at front of base, 1, set screws, 56, pass through theparts, 54, of the casting, 53, and bear against the front of the trackiron, 19, to hold the casting, 53, at any desired point of the length ofsaid track iron. The opposite end of said casting, 53, is provided withan elongated head, 57, having ribs, or lianges, 58, that fit into thegrooves in the sliding block,21, the screws,28, of which bear againstthe face of said head, 57, and serve to maintain said parts inadjustment. I also provide the device with means for accuratelymeasuring the material to be cut, into equal lengths, the sameconsisting in a removable rod, 59, one end of which extends throughaligned perforations, formed in lugs, 60, which are cast upon one of theback sections, 8, of the device, one of which is prof vided with a setscrew, 61, to hold the -rod The rod, 59, extends outwardly from thedevice in line with the back thereof, and carries a movable block orstop, 62, which is provided with projecting portions, 63, and 64, thelatter of which is arranged at an angle with the body of said block, 62,as shown.

The end of the material, to be cut, abuts against the projections, 63,and 64E, a thumb screw, 65, which passes through. an enlargement of thestop, 62, and bears against the rod, 59, serves to hold said stopagainst displacement on the rod, and at any desired point thereon.

I provide the outer end of the rod, 59, with a clamp, 66, havingdepending portions, 67, and 66, to inclose one end of a scale ormeasure, 69, the opposite end of which bears against the end of thebase, 1. 70, holds the rod, 59,and measure or scale, 69, securely in theclamp, 66, and against displacement therefrom.

By the disposition of the rod, 59, and scale, 69, last above described,it will be apparent that the position of the movable stop, 62, may beaccurately determined by the scale, 69. Said scale measuring rodadjustable as described serves the purpose, not only of determining thedistance of the miter cut from the extreme end of the material but canalso be adjusted to be employed as a scale for cutting off lengths orwidths thereof either before or after the mitering especially is it ofservice for attachment to back board cutters, and for predetermining thelength and thickness of picture boards and frames.

From the foregoing description of my invention, it will be obvious tothose skilled in the art to which said-invention appertains, that amiter box, having the improvements set forth, will greatly facilitatethe work of the mechanic using the same, and that such work will be moresecurely held in position, against displacement, and accurately measuredinto lengths, thus insuring truer saw A set screw,v

cuts, and consequently better results, than can be produced in miterboxes, not having my improvements.

I am aware that miter boxes have been heretofore constructed andprovided with a base, back, and swiveling standards carrying hollowtubes, to receive and guide a saw, and I therefore do not claim such aconstruction, although such forms a part of my device, and ishereinbefore described for the purpose of more clearly defining myinvention.

Having thus described my invention, and the manner of its operation,whatI claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States ofAmerica, is;-

1. A miter box having a base, supporting legs thereon, a back uprisingfrom the base separated vertically into two sectional shields, andprovided directly under the opening, dividing said sections, withapertured casting, 10, having integral therewith an extending flangepermanently secured to the under surface of the base, said castingsupplied with hollow standard, 14, having opposite lengthwise slots, 15,extending to the upper edge of back shields, free to turn within casting10, said standard provided with concentric tubular saw guide adapted, tobe reciprocated vertically therein and rigidly held at requiredelevations by screw controlled spur, 36, the saw guide provided withopposite vertical slots, 34:, maintained in parallel alignment withslots, 15, of standard, 14, by spline, 30, extending outwardly fromlower end of the saw guide and entering groove, 3l, in inner surface ofthe standard, in combination with similar standard, tube and saw guideat opposite side of the base, having block, 21, conformed to intermeshwith track on front of the base and adapted to be slid thereon and beheld at any point of its length by thumb screws, 56, substantially asdescribed.

2. In a miter box saw guiding tube,29, having extending nearly the fulllength thereof opposite vertical slots 32, the upper ends ofwhich havelateral extensions, 33, for passage therethrough of saw blade andthickened back, and at right angles thereto intermediate slot, 341:,into which is inserted screw bolt, 35,.carrying cam lever 36, theshankof which is surrounded with spiral spring, 39,whereby the saw guidetube is held within inclosing standard at elevation relative to depth ofcut required on material under treatment and kby wit-hin said swivelingstandards said tubes having vertical slots to receive and guide a sawblade, each of said slots having upper lateral enlargement 33for passageof the saw back, spring controlled cam lever, 36, piv- IIO lactuation ofspring controlled lever the saw otally journaled on bolt, 35, passingthrough vertical slot 82, of tubes 29, and extending outwardly therefromwhereby said tubes can be held at required elevations within thestandards as the device is operated, the saw be gaged to cut wholly orpartially through material under treatment, and be lifted therefrom,from time to time, substantially as described.

4. In a miter box, swiveling slotted standards, hollow saw guiding tubestherein, having slots to receive a saw, levers to limit the movement ofsaid tubes in said standards, set screws having shanks extending throughsaid levers and into said tubes, and springs, surrounding said screws,between the heads thereof, and the levers, to impart a yielding pressureto said levers, substantially as described.

5. In a miter box, swiveling slotted standards connected to the base ofthe box, hollow tubes, within said standards, having slots, 32, toreceive and guide a saw, and slots, 34, to receive the shank of a screw,in combination with said screws, levers mounted thereon and bearingagainst said tubes, threaded thumb nuts upon the outer ends of saidscrews, and springs upon said screws, between said thumb nuts andlevers, for the purpose set forth.

G. The combination of a miter box having a base, a back connectedthereto, a saw guiding standard upon such back and a track iron at theforward edge of said base, with a removable casting, 53, having agrooved end provided with set screws to fit and be secured upon saidtrack iron, and an end provided with ribs to receive and retain themovable standard bearing block, 23, substantially as described.

7. A miter box having a base, a back secured thereto, adjustable sawguiding' standards connected to said base and L-shaped clamping dogs, 40and 41, one arm of which e has lengthwise slot, 43 each of said dogsbeing pivotally connected at opposite ends of the base by screw, 44,whereby they can be turned, and elevated above the base and there-overextend and present a V-shaped support at any desired angle,substantially as described.

8. The combination with a miter box, having a base, a back and sawguiding standards, of a removable bar or rod, 59, connected to the rearof said box and held extended therefrom horizontally within perforatedlugs, 60, an adjustable stop, 62, upon said rod and means for holdingsaid stop at any desired point on said rod, substantially as described.

9. The combination with a miter box hav ing a base, a back thereon andadjustable saw guiding standards at front and back of said base of aremovable straight scale or measure, 69, extending horizontally from therear of the box and means, substantially as described, for securing saidmeasure to said box, as and for the purpose specified.

10. The combination of a miter box having a base, a back connectedthereto, and saw guides at front and back of said base with a rodextending from said box and provided with adjustable stop, a measureextending parallel with said rod, a clamp to secure said measure to saidrod and means substantially as described to secure the rod and measureto the box, as and for the purpose `set forth.

In testimony that I claim the invention above set forth I affix mysignature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN J. SPILKER.

Witnesses:

J. M. GUNTHER, ALFRED HERHOLZ.

